Rosa Parks was famous for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955, an act that helped ignite the Montgomery Bus Boycott and made her a key figure in the U.S. civil rights movement.

Quick Scoop: What Was Rosa Parks Famous For?

The Moment That Changed History

  • On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks stayed seated when a bus driver ordered her to give up her seat to a white man, as required by segregation laws in Montgomery, Alabama.
  • She was arrested for violating those segregation rules, turning a routine ride home into a historic act of civil disobedience.

Why That Act Mattered

  • Her arrest sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a mass protest by Black residents that lasted about 13 months and put heavy pressure on the city’s transit system.
  • The boycott helped lead to a Supreme Court decision that ended segregation on Montgomery’s buses and energized the wider American civil rights movement.

Her Legacy and Titles

  • Because of her role in starting the bus boycott, Parks is often called the “mother” of the civil rights movement.
  • She later received major national honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal, recognizing her lifelong work for civil rights.

In short, Rosa Parks is famous not just for staying seated on a bus, but for helping set off a movement that challenged and began to dismantle segregation in the United States.

TL;DR: Rosa Parks became famous for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white passenger in 1955, a courageous act that helped launch the Montgomery Bus Boycott and cemented her place as a central figure in the civil rights movement.

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